Safety device for treads of steps.



A. I. DAVIS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR TREADS OF STEPS.

APPLICATION FILED FEBJB, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

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ETD STATES ATENT enrich.

AUGUSTIN I. DAVIS, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN MASONSAFETY TBEAD COMPANY, OF SACO, IvTAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR TREADS OF STEPS.

Application filed February 18, 1809.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUs'rIN I. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inSafety Devices for Treads of Steps, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to safety devices for treads of steps and isdesigned for use on the running boards of open street cars and suchother vehicles as have similar narrow platforms which serve as bothsteps and walk-ways. These running boards or platforms are of wood ofconsiderable thickness and usually supported at intervals by metallicbrackets and are provided at the outer edges with guard strips of metal,usually of wrought iron, which strips protect the boards from wear andalso stiffen them. Such running boards or platforms in wet, frosty, andsnowy weather are very slippery and the cause of many accidents.

The object of this invention is to provide the outer margin of thetread-surface of the running board with a non-slip nng strip.

T have shown a metal plate provided with a groove for the reception ofthe anti-slipping material and an attaching flange, a construction whichallows the safety device to be completed at the factory in readiness tobe applied to the running board in a few minutes time without losing theuse of the car, while the anti-slipping material is hardening.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of partof thesill of an open street-car with seats, a running board provided with myimprovement and the brackets which support said board; Fig. 2, a plan ofpart of the running board wit-h said brackets in horizontalcross-section; Fig. 3, an end view of the running board, partly invertical section through the safetydevice and guard strip; Fig. 4, anisometric perspective view of the safety device detached.

A indicates a floor supporting sill; B B B seats; 0 C C brackets whichsupport the step, tread or running-board D; F, a riser or plate; theseparts being all of the usual construction, except as hereinafter stated.The outer edge of the runningboard is provided as usual with a guard-Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

Serial No. 478,567.

strip cl, which is commonly a strip of wrought iron, flat on its innersurface and rounded at top and bottom on its outer surface as shown at(Z and secured to said board at intervals by screws d In carrying outthis invention I form by folding a sheet of metal a trough or groove Eto receive the anti-slipping material which may be of any suitablesubstance as cement containing grits and adapted to be placed in thegroove while in a plastic condition and of hardening into an artificialstone or the filling of the groove may be of any substance commonly usedand suitable for the purpose. The side 6 of the groove farthest from theouter edge of the running board is preferably inclined toward the middleof the groove, the better to retain the anti-slipping material. Theouter side c of said groove is made by doubling the sheet metal as shownin Fig. 4-, the edge of the metal at 6 extending down below the grooveto form a flange of about the depth of the guard-strip. The joint orfold at the top of the flange should be sweated or soldered to preventthe separation of said flange from the body of the sheet metal whenworn.

The sheet metal piece consisting of the groove portion and flange 6 maybe prepared in advance of the demand for it and kept in stock. In orderto apply the safety device a rabbet (Z is formed in the front upper orouter edge of the running-board by any usual means after first removingthe guardstrip (Z by withdrawing the screws (Z The grooved part of thesafety device containing the anti-slipping material is placed in therabbet which is made of the proper size and shape to fit the horizontalpart of said device and the flange 6 is placed against the edge of therunning board. The guard-strip is then replaced and secured in positionby the screws (Z which are driven through holes in said flange to securethe safety device in place.

I claim as my invention 2- 1. A metal plate or strip provided with agroove for the reception of anti-slipping material and adapted to besecured to a step or running-board and to be retained in place by ametallic guard-strip.

2. A metal plate or strip provided with a groove for the reception ofanti-slipping material and provided With a flange adapted guard betweenwhich and the outer edge of 10 to be secured to a step or running-b0ardand said tread said flange is held.

to be retained in place by a metallic guard- In Witness whereof, I haveaflixed my sig strip. nature in presence of two Witnesses.

3. The combination of a tread rabbeted at its outer edge and a plate orstrip adapted AUGUSTIN DAVIS t0 fit said rabbet and having an attachingVitnesses:

flange said plate or strip having a groove ALBERT M. MOORE, containinganti-slipping material, and a GRACE CROWLEY.

